Published : 08 Oct 2025, 05:55 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 02:34 PM
Israeli forces have reportedly intercepted a Gaza-bound vessel carrying Bangladeshi photographer and writer Shahidul Alam, who was part of an international flotilla attempting to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.
In a pre-recorded video posted to his Facebook page around 10:30am Bangladesh time on Wednesday, Alam, anticipating possible detention, said: “I am Shahidul Alam, a photographer and writer from Bangladesh. If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea and I have been kidnapped by the Occupation Forces of Israel, the country conducting genocide in Gaza with active collaboration and assistance of the USA and other western powers."
"I appeal to all my comrades and friends to continue fighting for the freedom of Palestine,” he added
Alam was aboard the "Conscience", one of 11 ships that set sail for Gaza on Oct 1 as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madelines to Gaza (TMTG) campaign.
Alongside the Drik managing director, journalists and health workers from 25 countries were also aboard the Conscience. They set off for Gaza demanding an end to Israel's illegal occupation and ensuring freedom of the press.
According to the Freedom Flotilla Live Tracker, the Conscience’s last known location was off the coast of Egypt, where it appeared as a red dot, a signal used to indicate that the vessel had been intercepted by Israeli forces.
Tracker data later showed that nine ships from the flotilla were under Israeli control.
In an earlier Facebook post on Tuesday, Alam had said that their vessel was expected to reach the “red zone” near Gaza by Wednesday morning.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is an international network of pro-Palestinian activist groups that organises civilian maritime missions aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Israel’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X that the vessels and passengers were safe and had been transferred to an Israeli port from where they will be deported promptly, Reuters reports.
"Another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in nothing," the ministry said.
Israeli forces had also previously intercepted about 40 vessels and 450 activists that were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla aid convoy, which was also attempting to deliver supplies to Gaza.
The Israeli military was jamming signals and at least two boats had been boarded, FFC said on Instagram.
"The Israeli military has no legal jurisdiction over international waters," it added. "Our flotilla poses no harm."
The ships carried aid worth more than $110,000 in medicines, respiratory equipment and nutritional supplies intended for Gaza's starving hospitals, the FFC told Reuters.
